Container cleaning machine



Oct. 27, 1959 J. c. BLAKE ETAL CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed March 25, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ATTORNEY 'Oct. 27, 1959 J. c. BLAKE ETAL CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed March 25. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L l I L J INVENTORS JOIZZQS C .BLczKe .EiwzlzzeitFDeady.

ATTORNEY Jokza R Has/ e Oct. 27, 1959 J. c. BLAKE ETAL' CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed March 25, 1952 s Sheet s-Sheec :5

ATTORNEY INVENTORS Jourzas ClBla/(ZQ Lrzmzaii RDeadg JOZZJL R- Haslfe I United States. Patent CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE James C. Blake, Framingham,' Mass, and Emmett F. Deady, Arlington, and John R. Haske, Falls Church, Va., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Original application Mmch 25, 1952, Serial No. 278,414, now Patent No. 2,763,274, dated September 18, 1956.

Divided and this application May 1, 1956, Serial No.

6 Claims. (Cl. 134-168) in the past, these prior devices are not particularly suitable for use by the Armed Forces in the field for several reasons. This is due mainly to the factthat these devices ,were designed to be used at large fixed installations, whereas the Armed Forces in the field require apparatus sufiicie'ntly compact in construction andlight in weight to be readily loaded upon and unloaded from the trucks and trailers used by the Armed Forces for transportation Without dismantling the same. In addition, apparatus of this type to be suitable for useby the Armed Forces must be sufficiently sturdy to withstand transportation over rough terrain on vehicles of this type and must be relatively simple in construction so as to reduce the likelihood of breakdown during transportation or use of the apparatus or the likelihood of malfunctioning and thus incidentally reduce the need for skilled personnel in the operation and maintenance of the apparatus.

Reduction in the amount of handling of containers required in carrying out a cleaning operation on 55 gallon drums or other relativelyrlarge containers is desirable because the size and weight of these containers makes the frequent handling thereof fatiguing to an operator of the cleaning apparatus. In the apparatus of'the present invention, this was accomplished-by devising means for cleaning 55 gallon drums while they are standing in their normal upright position. In contrast to this, many prior drum cleaning machines require the drums to be inverted or placed in some other special position for cleaning, and they normally include special apparatus for so positioning or holding the drums or require additional operators for placing the drums in these special positions. This increased complexity of apparatus or the need for additional operators eliminates many of the prior drum cleaning machines from consideration for being cleaned during the course of the spraying operation because the fluid is then in a state of agitation and denser materials will then be suspended therein and will be withdrawn with the fluid. Undue rise in the level of the cleaning liquid in the drums being cleaned thus also ice is avoided so that the maximum area of the internal walls of the drum will be subjected to a spray of cleaning fluid thereby assuring more complete dislodgement of foreign material clinging to these internal walls; In addition, the cleaning apparatus includes means for withdrawing residual cleaning fiuid or foreign materials re maining in the drum being cleaned'as the concluding step in a cleaning operation. 7 i

Accordingly, an object of the invention is. toprovide new and improved container cleaning apparatus particu:

larly adaptable for use bythe Armed Forces in the field for cleaning 55 gallon drums andother relatively large containers. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved container cleaning apparatus capable of cleaning containers of various sizes and shapes. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved container cleaning apparatus for cleaning containers stationed in upright position adjacent the apparatus so that the need for special container positioning or holding mechanisms or operators to handle the containers is eliminated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for cleaning containers by flushing the interior thereof with cleaning fluid and evacuating the cleaning fluid therefrom including mechanism for either simultaneously flushing and evacuating a container or for subjecting the same solely to flushing or solely to evacuation.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved container cleaning apparatus as defined in the preceding object including mechanism for selectively varying the rate of flushing or evacuation of a container under the complete control of the user of the apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for cleaning the interior of drums or like containers by forced spraying and evacuation thereof which normally sprays containers beingcleaned with a predetermined force, but which may be operated approximately to double the force of the spray or evacuation applied by the apparatus to a drum or other container.

A more general object of the invention is to provide new and improved container cleaning apparatus which is relatively simple in construction and has a minimum number of relatively simple moving and fixed parts when compared to known container cleaning apparatus so that it may be built suificiently compact and sturdy to be adaptable for use by the Armed Forces in the field, and which is relatively inexpensive to construct and maintain and has the further advantage of being simple to operate so that little experience is required to operate and maintain the same. Y 1

These and other objects, advantages and capabilities of the invention will become apparent from the following description ofa preferred embodiment of the invention in which reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a container cleaning machine embodying the improved apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation showing a nozzle for cleaning 55 gallon drums or like containers in operative position in a representative drum;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the nozzle shown in Fig. 2 onan enlarged scale and partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse plane of the line 44 of Fig. l; Fig. '5 is a fragmentary top plan View of the cleaning sectional view on the t 3 apparatus shown in Fig. 1 tions of the apparatus omitted;

Fig. 6 is a view of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. partly in section and partly in side elevation; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal transverse sectional view on a plane through the head of the nozzle shown in Fig. 2;and Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. The present application is a division of our copending application for patent Ser. No. 278,414 filed March 25, 1952 for a Container Cleaning Apparatus, now Patent Number 2,763,274 dated Sept. 18, 1956, which is directed particularlyto a machine for cleaning 5 gallon Jerry Cans used by the Armed Forces in the distribution of petroleum products in the field and with which the apparatus of the present invention may be used as an adjunct. In Fig. 1 of the drawings, which view is a duplicate of Fig. 1 of the'aforesaid application for patent, apparatus is shown arranged to promote eflicient cleaning of 5 gallon Jerry Cans and. 55 gallon drums or like containers by a single operator. This apparatus comprises duplicate reversely complementary cleaning units 10 and 12 including duplicate suitably constructed generally rectangular 'shaped reservoirs or tanks 14 and 16 in conjunction with which the improved drum cleaning apparatus of the present invention may be operated.

These tanks which may be constructed from heavy sheet metal or light plate each have a top wall 18 upon which certain components of the present invention are mounted. This top wall has openings therein for access to'the interior of the tank which openings may be closed by hatches 20. A pump 22 draws cleaning fluid'from these tanks 14 and 16 through branch conduits 24 and 26, a Y connection 28 and an inlet conduit 30. Fluid under pressure is discharged by the pump 22 through independent outlet conduits 32 and 34 which are connected to one branch of duplicate T connections 36 and 38. The second of the two branches of these T connections are connected to duplicate manifolds 40 and 42 anchored to the top walls 18 of the respective tanks 14 and 16. These manifolds supply fluid under pressure to the 5 gallon Jerry Can cleaning devices for operating the same as fully described in the aforesaid application for patent, while the stems of the T connections 36 and 38 are connected to duplicate double elbow fittings 44 and 46 from which the drum cleaning devices of the present invention are operated.

Duplicate gate valves 48 and 50 control flow of fluid from the respective T connections 36 and 38 to the respective'manifolds 40 and 42, and similar gate valves 52 and'54 control flow of fluid from the respective T connections 36 and 38 to the double elbow fittings 44 and 46; By virtue of this construction, both the 5 gallon Jerry Can cleaning devices and the 55 gallon drumcleaning devices can be operated from the same source of cleaning fluid under pressure; If it is desired to operate the Jerry Can cleaning devices, the valves 52 and 54 must be closed and the valves 48 and 50 must be opened, whileif it is desired to clean 55 gallon drums, the valves 48 and 50 must be closed an valves 52 and 54 must be opened.

Since the drum cleaners operated from the tanks 14 and 16 are of duplicate construction, only that connected to the tank 16 and parts mounted on this tank that cooperate therewith will be described in detail by way 'of example. The double elbow fitting 46 on tank 16 has a generally horizontally disposed elbow 56 and a generally vertically disposed elbow or branch 58 both of which are subject to fluid under pressure throughout the period the pump 22 is operated, if the valve 50 is closed and valve 54 is opened so as to condition the machine for cleaning drums. Branch 58 has a flexible hose or conduit 60 connected thereto for delivering cleaning fluid under pressure to the drum cleaning mechanism or nozzle indicated in its entirety by the number 62. Horizontal on an enlarged scale with porelbow 56 is connected to (Figs. 1 and 5) which has an outlet connected to mend of a discharge conduit 66. The other end of this conduit is connected to a double elbow fitting 68 suitably anchored to the top wall 18 ofthe tank 16 in communication with an aperture 70 (Fig. 4) in the top wall so that discharge from the ejector 64 is returned to the tank 16. The ejector 64 which is of conventional construction has a suction throat 72 (Fig. 5) at which suction is generated when cleaning liquid under pressure flows from the elbow 56 through the ejector and into the discharge conduit 66 and double elbow 68. A flexible conduit 74 (Fig. 1) similar to the conduit 60 is connected to a suction inlet opening 73 in the suction throat 72 by any suitable coupling means so that the suction generated by the ejector 64 is communicated to the nozzle 62 for a purpose to be described.

The drum cleaning device or nozzle 62 includes an imperforate inner or suction tube 76 (Fig. 3) and a perforated outer or pressure tube 78. The inner tube 76 is provided with a'tapered suction tip 80 on its free end which has a reduced portion over which the free end of the outer tube 78 is snugly fitted. These parts are fixed against separation by cap screws, one of which is shown at 82, and there is thus formed noncommunicating passages including a suction passage indicated at 84 and a pressure passage 86 which is of annular cross section. At their opposite ends, the tubes 76 and 78 are fixed in a suitable head indicated in its entirety by the number 88 relation to each other by Welding or the like. The other end of the elbow 90 is coupled to one end of the flexible conduit 74 whichcommunicates at its other end with the suction throat 72 of ejector 64 on tank 16 as previously explained so that the suction generated at the suction throat will be communicated to the inner tube 76 in the spray nozzle 62. The head 88 also includes valve structure indicated in its entirety by the number 92 (Fig. 7) which may be of conventional construction. Suitable valves for this purpose are made, for example, by OPW Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio. OPW nozzles Nos. .190 or 327 shown on pages 10 and 11 respectively of OPW catalog No. 18 having been found suitable for this purpose. The inlet end of this nozzle valve is coupled to the outlet end of the flexible conduit 60 which has its inlet end connected to the branch 58 of double elbow fitting 46, while the outlet end of the nozzle valve is connected by an elbow 89 (Fig. 8) to a neck 91 on the external pipe 78 of the spray nozzle 62.

Nozzle valves of the type above mentioned have a body which has a passage 93 extending therethrough from the inlet to the outlet of the nozzle. This passage has a frusto-conic valve seat 95 formed intermediate the ends thereof toward which a frustoconic valve 97 having a stem 99 is biased by a spring 101. This valve is opened in opposition to the spring 101 by a lever or trigger rockably mounted on the forward end of the body of the valve 92 to engage the outer end of the valve stem 99 when the trigger is rocked in a counterclockwise direc tion as seen in Fig. 7. By reason of the frusto-conic contour of the aforesaid valve and seat, it will be understood that the volume of flow under pressure through the nozzle passage 93 to the discharge tube 78 in the spray nozzle 62 is determined by the distance that the trigger 100 is rocked from the normal inoperative position shown in Fig. 7. The nozzle valve preferably has a handguard 98 whichh'as-notches 103 along the rear edge portion thereof in which the free end of trigger 100 may be engaged so that the valve' 97 may be releasably set to remain at any one of several degrees of opening for any interval desired by the operator leaving him free to the inlet end of an ejector 64 I pistol grip so that the spray nozzle 62 may be readily handled with one hand. As best seen in Fig. 3, the outer or discharge tube 78 has a plurality of apertures 94 through which cleaning liquid under pressure may be discharged or sprayed. These apertures are arranged in a predetermined patterneifective to direct sprays of cleaning liquid under pressure against all of the interior surfaces of the container being cleaned such as the container indicated, for example, at 96 in Fig. 2 when the cleaning machine is operating.

By virtue of the nozzle valve construction above described, the volume of fluid under pressure flowing into the discharge passage 86 in the spray nozzle 62 may be controlled by the operator of the device. This incidentally gives him control over the suction applied to the suction tube 76 in spray nozzle 62 because both the inlet to the ejector 64 and the inlet end of conduit 60 are connected in parallel to the discharge side of the pump 22 through elbows 56 and 58. Alternative paths for the discharge of the cleaning fluid pumped by the pump 22 are thus formed, one path being through the ejector 64 back to the tank 16 and the other through the conduit 60,nozzle valve passage 93, elbow 89 and neck 91 into the discharge passage 86 formed by the outer tube 78 of the spray nozzle 62. As a result, a reduction in the discharge of fluid through the discharge passage 86 in the nozzle 62 will cause a corresponding increase in the magnitude or volume of the suction generated by the ejector 64. As a matter of fact, the suction generated may be roughly said to be inversely proportional to the flow of liquid under pressure through the pressure passage 86 in spray nozzle 62. It should be apparent, therefore, that the valve 92 gives the operator complete control over the relative values of the suction and pressure applied to the nozzle 62. For example, after trigger 100 is operated to cut off the flow of fluid under pressure to the pressure passage 86, the full pressure of the fluid delivered to T connection 38 is expended in generating suction so that the latter is at a maximum. This state of affairs is brought about when it is desired completely to evacuate a drum after it has been flushed.

The tubes 76 and 78 in nozzle 62 are of suflicient length so that the nozzle may be inserted in a bunghole or filling opening 102 in the top end or head of the drum 96 shown in Fig. 2 at that angle to the vertical necessary to locate the suction tip 80 at the peripheral edge of the bottom f the drum on the side opposite the filling opening 102. For example, a 40-inch nozzlehas been found to be of sutficient length in cleaning the 55 gallon drums used by the Armed Forces. This provides several inches of pipe to project outwardly from the filling opening 102.

Fixed to the portion of the nozzle 62 which projects from the filling opening 102 is a shield or cap 104 disposed in a plane oblique to the axis of the tubes 76 and 78 so as to cover the filling opening 102 in the drum or like container 96 which is being cleaned when the nozzle is inserted into the dmm at the angle mentioned above.

A nozzle 106 similar in construction to the nozzle 62 is connected to be operated from tank 14 in the same manner as nozzle 62 is connected to tank 16.

In order partially to purify the cleaning fluid returned to the tanks 14 and 16 from the ejectors on these tanks, basket strainers are provided in these tanks, one of which is shown at 108 (Fig.4) in tank 14. These strainers are of rectangular generally box-like shape and are made, for example, from 40 mesh Wire screen. Strainer 108 has an open, generally rectangular frame of angle iron members 110 (Fig. 6). The upper edge of this strainer is fixed todepending flanges on the frame 110 which frame also has horizontal outwardly extending flanges at least along its ends, one of which flanges is shown at 112.

These horizontal flanges rest upon slides depending from the underside of the top wall 18 of the tank 16 transversely thereofl. One of these slides is shown at 114.

6. By virtue of this suspension of the strainer 108, it is slidable on the slides 114 between a position at which it receives the fluid emptied into tank'16 from ejector 64 as indicated in full lines in Fig. 4 and a position at which it is accessible and may be removed through'the opening in the top wall of this tank closed by a hatch 20' to facilitate cleaning thereof as indicated in phantom in the same view.

Partial purification of the cleaning fluid is also assisted by a pair of baffles in each of the tanks 14 and 16. The baffles in the tank 14'are indicated at 116 and 118 in Fig. 4. Baflle 116 has aloweredge spaced upwardly from the bottom of tank 14, while the lower edge of baflle 118 seals' against the bottom of the tank, and its upper edge terminates short of the top edge of bafile 116. As a result fluid draining into this tank from the strainer 108 flows under baflle116 and over the top edge of baflle 118 into the space in the tank from which cleaning fluid is drawn by the pump 22. Sedimentation of the heavier foreign materials in the cleaning fluid draining into the tank therefore is eifected in the space in the tank set off by the baflle 118.

Cleaning fluid is withdrawn from the tanks 14 and 16 by the pump 22 through an outlet connection; that for the tank 16 being shown at 120 (Fig. 6). This outlet connection comprises a depending conduit having an inlet adjacent the bottom of the tank 16 covered by'a strainer 122 of suitable wire mesh. A similar outlet connection is provided for the tank 14.

The pump 22 may be of any suitable type such as a centrifugal pump, and should have suflicient capacity when operated at optimum speed to pump approximately 50 gallons of fluid per minute and to maintain a pressure of approximately 30 pounds per square inch when the fluid discharging nozzles 62 and 106 are inoperative. it may be driven by a suitable motor such as a gasoline engine (not shown).

For the purpose of convenient storing of the nozzles 62 and 106 andthe flexible conduits60 and 74 attached thereto, each tank 14 and 16 is provided with a pair of brackets 124 (Fig. 1-) on one of its side walls for receiving the body of the nozzle 62 or 106 associated therewith. At the rear of the tank v16, a pair of compartments is provided. Compartment 126 should be large enough to receive the two flexible conduits 60, 74, attached to the nozzle 62 supported in brackets 124 when they are coiled; The other compartment 128 provides space for accessories such as a fire extinguisher (not shown). Similar compartments are provided on the tank 14.

It is to be understood that the improved drum cleaning devices of the present invention may be operated independently of apparatus of the type disclosed in our aforementioned application for patent Serial No. 278,414 by the use of a suitable reservoir and pump in place of the tanks 14 and .16 and pump 22.

In the operation of container cleaning apparatus for cleaning both 5 gallon Jerry Cans and 55 gallon drums as described our aforementioned application for patent, the apparatus is arranged as shown in Fig. 1. The tanks 14 and 16 preferably are placed at an angle of approximately 60 and approximately four feet apart at their closest point. The inlet conduits 24, 26, 30 and the outlet conduits 32 and 34 connecting pump 22 to the tanks 14 and 16 should be of suflicient length so that the pump may be placed at least fifty feet from the tanks when the parts are connected as shown in Fig. 1. This reduces the fire hazard when inflammable cleaning fluid is used.

After the tanks 14 and 1-6 have been properly positioned and leveled they are each filled with cleaning fluid, such as kerosene or gasoline, preferably to a point approximately two inches below the top edge of baflle 116. Preferably the dimensions of the tanks 14 and 16 are such that approximately gallons of fluid is required for this purpose for each tank. Before initiating operation of the pump 22, valves 48, 50, 52 and 54 are closed and the triggers on the-nozzles 62 and 106 such as trigger 100 on the nozzle 62 should be adjusted to prevent any discharge of'cleaningfluid from these nozzles. 'Moreover, before cleaning is attempted a pressure of approximately thirty pounds per square inch should be built up at gages 130 (Fig. l) on the two connections 36, 38 on tanks 14 and 16. v

Drums to be 'cleaned are stationed in upright position apertured end upturned and with the bunghole stoppers removed and the drums so located relative to the tanks 14 and 16 as to be readily accessible to the nozzles 62 and 106. Since thesetwo nozzles may be used in the same manner, only the use of nozzle 62 connected to tank'16 will ,be described. 1

Assuming for the purpose of illustration thatthe proper pressure has been developed by pump 22 and that nozzle 62 has been inserted in the bunghole of a drum 96 as shown in Fig. 2, gate valve 54 may be opened so that the head; 88 on nozzle 62 Will be subject to .fluid under pressure through branch, 58 and conduit 60, and the ejector 64 will, likewise, be subject to fluid under pressure through elbow 56. Assuming the trigger100 is also properly adjusted prior to.opening of the gate valve 54, no fluid: will be discharged from the nozzle 62, but maximum suction will be produced because the ejector 64 alone is subjected to the part of the discharge from the pump 22Avhich is carried through outlet conduit 34.

For most effective cleaning; the trigger 100initially is adjusted to obtain maximum discharge of fluid under pressure from the apertures 94 in the discharge pipe 78 on nozzle 62. At the fluid pressure before suggested and by virtue of the arrangement of the apertures 94 in this discharge pipe, the entire inner surface area of the walls of the drum 96 will be subjected to jets of cleaning fluid at suflicient pressure to dislodge from these walls foreign materials such as sand, dirt, tar or surface rust. Because some of the fluid under pressure passes from the T connection 38 through elbow 56, ejector 64, outlet conduit 66 and double elbow 68 back to the tank 16, suction will be generated and will be applied to the suction passage 84 in nozzle 62 through flexible conduit 74. As a result, cleaning fluid sprayed into drum 96 will be withdrawn while the drum is being sprayed. The fluid thus withdrawn is in a turbulent condition so that foreign materials will be suspended therein, and these suspended materials will be withdrawn with the turbulent fluid.

In order to insure that a maximum area of the inner side walls of the drum 96 shall be subject to spray, the trigger 100 preferably is adjusted to proportion the fluid under pressure flowing through nozzle 62 and through the ejector 64 so that the pool of fluid which collects in the drum is kept at a minimum and thus a maximum area of the wall is exposed to spray. To increase the efiectiveness of the cleaning which is accomplished, the drum 96 may be tilted on its lower edge opposite the bunghole 102 to an angle approximately 45 and the drum then rocked or rotated back and forth while it is being sprayed or flushed so as to make certain that the entire inner surface of the drum is subjected to a spray of cleaning fluid.

After a suitable intervalof flushing, for example, 40 seconds, the trigger 100 is operated to discontinue the flow of fluid under pressure to the nozzle 62. Maximum suction will then be applied to the nozzle 62 because the entire capacity of horizontal elbow 56 will then flow through the ejector 64. This suction should be continued for a suflicient interval completely to evacuate the drum, which interval should not exceed to seconds. All but the final interval of suction may occur while the drum 96 is in upright position so that the operator is free to operate on a second drum if he so desires. However, in order to remove the residual fluid and foreign material from the drum, it will be necessary to tilt the drum as before described so that a lowermost region defining a fluid collecting pocket is established around the suction tip on nozzle 62. By the method of operation described above, an average of two drums per minute can be cleaned by a competent operator.

In the event excessively contaminated drums are encountered, the total output of the pump 22 may be utilized to operate one'cleaning unit; for example, nozzle 62 in Fig. 1. This is accomplished by closing gate valve 132 in the outlet conection for the tank 14 and the gate valves 48 and 52 controlling flow of fluid to this tank. The pressure which is generated by the pump 22 is therefore applied solely to the unit 12 so that the streams of cleaning fluid sprayed from the nozzle 62 are of much greater velocity and therefore more effective in dislodging foreign material from the containers being cleaned. The suction which it is possible to create is likewise of much higher value.

From the above description of the construction and operation of the improved cleaning apparatus of the present invention, its many advantages will be apparent. It will be noted that both the commencement of spraying and the commencement of evacuation of a container are under the complete control of the operator of the device as is the relative rate at which spraying and evacuation occur. It should also be apparent that a minimum of manual operations need be performed in stationing a 55 gallon drum for cleaning. Furthermore, once a cleaning operation is commenced on a container, it may be continued for an interval under the entire control of the operator. Because of the relatively few manual operations required, the device may be operated by a single operator using duplicate units as shown in Fig. 1.

Another advantage of the device of the present invention is the conservation of cleaning fluid which is possible in its use. Inthe first place, spent cleaning fluid is returned to the reservoirs 14 and 16 and then reused but before being reused, it is at least partially purified by the action of strainers 108 and baffles 116 and 1 18 so that its eflectiveness 'as a cleaning agent is almost completely restored each time the fluid completes a cycle through the apparatus.

While the apparatus disclosed herein is designed particularly for cleaning cylindrical 55 gallon drums of the type used by the Armed Forces in the field, it is to be understood that a cleaning nozzle similar to drum cleaning nozzles62 and 106 but varying in length therefrom and in the angle at which the shield 104 is attached thereto to adapt it for use on containers other than 55 gallon drums could readily 'be constructed. It is to be understood, therefore, that the specific apparatus described herein is to be considered exemplary and while it is a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that numerous variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It is desired, therefore, by the following claims to include within the scope of the invention, all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

We claim:

1. In a container cleaning apparatus non-communicating cleaning fluid spraying and exhausting means adapted to be simultaneously received in a container to be cleaned, a fluid ejector having a suction inlet connected to said cleaning fluid exhausting means, a source of cleaning fluid under pressure connected in parallel to said fluid spraying means and said ejector so that fluid under pressure may be delivered to said fluid spraying means and said ejector simultaneously to render the latter operative to apply suction to said fluid exhausting means simultaneously with the application of pressure to the fluid spraying means, and a valve to apportion the flow of fluid from said source between said fluid spraying means and ejector selectively to vary the magnitude of the suction generated by said ejector relative to the volume of fluid sprayed into the container being cleaned by said fluid spraying means.

2. In a container cleaning apparatus non-communicating cleaning fluid spraying and exhausting means adapted to be simultaneously received in a container to be cleaned, a fluid ejector having a suction inlet connected to said cleaning fluid exhausting means, a source of cleaning fluid under pressure connected in parallel to saidfluid spraying means and said ejector so that fiuid under pressure may be delivered to said fluid spraying means and said ejector simultaneously to render the latter operative to apply suction to said fluid exhausting means simultaneously with the application of pressure to the fluid spraying means, and means variably to impede the flow of fluid to the fluid spraying means thereby to vary the flow to said ejector and the resultant suction generated by said ejector in-- cluding means completely to discontinue flow to the spraying means so that suction alone is applied to the container.

3. In a container cleaning apparatus non-communicating cleaning fluid spraying and exhausting means adapted to be simultaneously received in a container, a source of cleaning fluid under pressure, an ejector having a suction inlet connected to said cleaning fluid exhausting means and a discharge outlet, conduit forming means to connect the discharge outlet for said ejector to said source of fluid, means to connect said fluid spraying means and the inlet to said ejector in parallel to said source of fluid under pressure so that fluid under pressuretmay be delivered to said fluid spraying means and said ejector simultaneously to render the ejector operative to apply suction to said fluid exhausting means simultaneously with the application of pressure to the fluid spraying means, and a valve to control the flow of fluid under pressure to said fluid spraying means so as to increase or decrease the flow to said ejector and the resultant suction at the fluid exhausting means inversely with the flow through the spraying means.

4. In a container flushing apparatus fixed means for supplying cleaning fluid under pressure including a reservoir, a driven pump having an inlet connected to said reservoir, a discharge outlet for said pump connected to said reservoir, an ejector connected in the discharge outlet and having a throat at which suction is generated when fluid under pressure flows to the reservoir through said discharge outlet, a manually manipulatable nozzle including non-communicating fluid discharging and exhausting means, separate conduits connecting the fluid exhausting and the fluid discharging means in said nozzle respectively to the throat of said ejector and the discharge outlet for the pump on the upstream side of said ejector to provide for simultaneous delivery of fluid under pressure to the fluid discharging means and the ejector so that pressure and suction may be applied to the nozzle simultaneously, and a manually operable valve to appo tion the flow of fluid to said ejector and fluid discharging means so as to increase or decrease the flow through said ejector and the resultant suction at the fluid exhausting means in the nozzle inversely with the flow through the fluid discharging means in said nozzle.

' generated by a flow of fluid under pressure from said i 5. In an apparatus for flushing relatively large conof cleaning fluid, means for circulating fluid under pressure from said source including an ejector discharging to said source and having a throat at which suction is generated by a flowof fluid through said circulating means, a manually manipulatable nozzle including a head and elongated non-communicating fluid discharge and exhaust tubes projecting rigidly therefrom, separate conduits connecting the fluid discharge and exhaust tubes in said nozzle respectively to the'fluid circulating means on the upstream side of said ejector and the suction throat of the ejector'to provide for simultaneous delivery of fluid under pressure to the fluid discharge tube in said nozzle and the ejector so that pressure and suction may be applied to the nozzle simultaneously, said separate conduits being flexible so that the said nozzle may be transported at will to the limit of the length of said conduits, and a manually operable valve in said head to apportion the flow of fluid between said discharge tube in said nozzle and the ejector selectively to vary the rate of delivery and withdrawal of cleaning fluid when a container is being cleaned.

6. In a container flushing apparatus a stationary source of cleaning fluid under pressure, fluid circulating means including an ejector having a throat at which suction is source through said circulating means, a cleaning nozzle including a head and non-communicating fluid discharge and exhaust tubes projecting rigidly therefrom, separate conduits connecting the fluid discharge and exhaust tubes in said nozzle respectively to the source of fluid on the upstream side of the ejector and the suction throat of the ejector to provide for simultaneous delivery of fluid under pressure to the fluid discharge tube and the ejector so that pressure and suction may be applied to the nozzle simultaneously, said separate conduits being flexible so that said nozzle may be transported at will to the limit of the length of the said conduits, a valve to apportion the flow of fluid between said discharge tubein said nozzle and the ejector, selectively to vary the rate of delivery and withdrawal of cleaning fluid when a container is being cleaned, a pistol grip on said head to facilitate manual manipulation of the nozzle, and atrigger on the pistol grip for operating the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 684,112 Sears Oct. 8, 1901 1,146,845 'Burham July 20, 1915 1,757,035 Beckman May 6, 1930 2,222,676 Mahler i Nov. 26, 1940 2,229,610 Nicholoy Jan. 21, 1941 2,240,364 Kimball Apr. 29, 1941 2,281,695 James May 5, 1942 2,454,289 Neef Nov. 23, 1948 2,558,628 Redin June 26, 1951 

